Reuters JOHANNESBURG: Al-Ahli face the prospect of determined rear guard action when they face Ivory coast side ASEC Abidjan, who have an enviable goal scoring record at home, in Sunday s African Champions League semi-final second leg tie. Al-Ahli won 2-0 in Cairo in the first encounter at the start of the month and are fancied to progress to the final but ASEC scored 10 goals without reply in their three home matches in the group phase, setting up the prospect of an absorbing return tie. Al-Ahli will be without influential midfielder Mohamed Shawki, who is suspended for the second leg, and injured striker Osama Hosni. Their Portuguese coach Manuel Jose is also being investigated by the Confederation of African Football after an obscene gesture towards the first leg referee was caught by television cameras The other semi-final second leg is between CS Sfaxien and South Africa s Orlando Pirates in Tunisia on Saturday. The two sides finished goalless in a frenetic first leg in Johannesburg. The aggregate winners go through to the final with the first leg taking place on the weekend of Oct. 27-29.
